[Episode 62] Proposal of Merger
Even without making promises, there are unwritten rules in steel mills, such as things that each industry must follow, and things that all companies must implicitly implement.
‘If a designated steelworks target is closed, other steelworks are also blacklisted.’
Won Jae-jun smiled faintly as he looked at the young CEO who was sitting in front of him.
“Have you changed your mind, CEO Lee?”
Si-woo Lee, who was sitting in front of Jae-jun Won, gulped down the cool coffee as if his throat was burning.
“I have heard the news. A company called Myungsan has been disqualified for the award, right?”
“… I did not know that the news had already been delivered to Director Won.”
“Because the rumors are fast. Even a month, several businesses are disqualified from their positions. Do you know why?”
“… As environmental problems intensify, the pressure on steel mills becomes more severe. We know that companies that stick to the old way cannot survive.”
Incinerators and steel mills are currently designated as major culprits of environmental pollution.
The reality is that strict laws must be followed while operating.
If a large amount of waste was found in scrap metal, the problem could never be overlooked.
“If a large amount of waste is found in the scrap metal sent to Daehan Steel by Myeongsan, other steel mills will not accept Myeongsan’s products. Still, do you want to carry the famous mountain to the end?”
Keeping faith is good, but it can also be unreasonable.
At Won Jae-jun’s words, Lee Si-woo firmly nodded his head.
“I don’t know the details of how Myeongsan operates, but at least it was a place where it was operated in an appropriate manner.”
“But people are meant to see results, not processes. As a result, Mingshan made a serious mistake, and this image should be carried with them for the rest of their lives.”
“It doesn’t matter if I hear you say it’s stupid. However, Myeongsan helped Nuri to grow. If such a company were to throw it away at the most difficult time, what kind of company would trust Nuri?”
“I want to present the best way to Lee.”
“I will listen carefully to the words of Director Won.”
“Are you going to merge?”
“yes?”
If the company called Myungsan disappeared and became the target of Gangdong Steelworks in the name of Nuri instead, Daehan Steel would not be able to impose sanctions.
The image of a famous mountain has already been destroyed.
The only way to save the famous mountain was to merge with Nuri.
“If Nuri and Myeongsan merge, we will be able to send scrap metal to the Gangdong Works in the name of Nuri. If that happens, Daehan Steel won’t be able to keep up with it.”
At Won Jae-joon’s advice, Si-woo Lee laughed.
The merger was possible only if it was at the same level or superior to that company.
There was a difference between the famous mountain and the annual sales enjoyed.
Nuri was catching up little by little, but there was a clear difference.
“If Nuri and Myeongsan merge, Myeongsan will inevitably take the initiative.”
“The name Myeongsan will disappear from the moment of the merger. Of course, Myeongsan may have the initiative at first, but all support from Gangdong Works will go to Nuri.”
“Even so… The representative of Myeongsan will not accept the offer.”
“The president has to convince him. Are you not that confident?”
For some reason, Won Jae-jun’s words sounded like a provocation.
Si-woo Lee closed his eyes as he showed a relaxed expression as if he was going to try it somewhere.
“Even if we do not merge with Myeongsan, Gangdong Works will designate Nuri as the target. I promise you one thing.”
How would Moon Jae-shin react to Lee Si-woo’s proposal for a merger?
Will you be angry with me, or will you follow Siwoo Lee’s suggestion?
The situation was completely unpredictable.
But I thought it was worth a try once.
“I’ll see you next time.”
After making a decision, Siwoo Lee got up from his seat and bowed his head at 90 degrees.
Jae-jun Won, who was looking at Si-woo Lee’s back as he left the office, tapped the desk with his finger.
‘You should also know that you can’t lead all businesses with passion alone.’
* * *
The entrance to the courtyard of the famous mountain.
Si-woo Lee, who parked the car and thought for a while, took a deep breath.
The best way for Myeongsan to live.
It was obviously the best, but there were concerns that Moon Jae-shin would accept the proposal.
“Uh-huh, you have to hit it.”
Si-woo Lee, who shook his head strongly and came to his senses, got out of the car with eyes full of determination.
* * *
The yard of a quiet mountain.
In the middle, Moon Jae-shin stood with unmotivated eyes.
he is 46 years old.
Myungsan was the first business I started after being fired from my company at the age of 35.
I have come this far after overcoming many crises.
‘Now that passion can’t be revived.’
tried hard.
He has built up a reputation with such a recklessness that the words ‘I did my best’ are not enough.
For the sake of the family and for the employees who believe in him, he has worked hard without sleeping for less than five hours a day.
However, decades of hard work disappeared overnight.
“CEO.”
Moon Jae-shin woke up to Lee Si-woo’s voice with a sense of sadness.
“Don’t come here anymore, Mr. Lee.”
“Are you planning to end your relationship with me?”
“I plan to sell Myungsan. It will probably go through an absorption merger.”
“Do you think there is a company that will take over Myungsan?”
Myeongsan currently has no debts.
And the pile of scrap metal in the yard amounted to 2,000 tons.
In order to acquire a company of this size, it was necessary to find a company with considerable financial power.
“There will be. Although I am resigning from this position, I believe that the funds obtained by processing Myeongsan will be the driving force for Kwangwoon to start.”
“Aren’t you sorry?”
“… Unfortunately, there is nothing I can do. Because there will be no steel mill that will accept goods from Myeongsan, which has been permanently banned from Daehan Steel.”
Knowing the physiology of this floor, Moon Jae-shin didn’t even try to do anything.
There was only one answer.
As soon as it was registered on Daehan Steel’s blacklist, she could no longer work under the name of Myeongsan.
“Sir, I would like to make an offer.”
“… I understand CEO Lee’s feelings, but there is little chance that Myeongsan will be revived.”
“If you can’t regenerate, start over.”
“… It is difficult to start over.”
“If you are going to sell, would you give Nuri a chance?”
The red light of the sunset lingered in Si-Woo’s eyes like a burning flame.
“Isn’t Nuri the scale to purchase famous mountains?”
“Not now.”
“… I need the money to get my hands on it right now.”
“I won’t give you at least the amount you want right away, but I can promise you one thing.”
“What is it?”
“The future of Kwangwoon.”
Moon Jae-shin closed his eyes at Lee Si-woo’s words.
If anyone else had said these words, Jae-Shin Moon would have thought they were not worth hearing.
“It means making a deal with Kwangwoon’s future.”
“This is the best offer I can give you.”
“If Myeongsan is merged with a poor image, it will inevitably affect Nuri as well.”
“There is no need to stick to the target of Daehan Steel.”
“… Are you connected to another steel mill?”
“Gangdong Works. There, I said that I would give Nuri the seat of the Daesang.”
When the name of Gangdong Steelworks appeared, Moon Jae-sik laughed.
“Gangdong Steel Mill… It has only been established for a year now, isn’t it?”
“I don’t think it has to matter whether it’s a new steel mill or an old mill. It’s just a steel mill that will take the goods.”
“… After all, what are you going to do after carefully examining this and that?”
“Although the name Myeongsan will disappear, the opportunity will surely come again. It is a time when the famous mountain can be resurrected in a splendid way.”
“Will you give me time to think?”
“of course. I know this is not an issue that can be appealed to.”
* * *
The next day, Moon Jae-shin came out to the yard as usual and stood there with a blank expression.
And Jin Jun-sik, who went to work, also approached him with a dark expression.
“… President, what are you thinking so deeply?”
“Junshik.”
“yes… … .”
“If you are a person, would you choose an outcome that you can achieve right away? Rather than choosing the uncertain outcome of the future.”
Jin Jun-sik bowed his head at the sudden question.
“You have decided to sell the company.”
In the end, I expected this to happen.
The only way to get money right away was to sell it.
Will Myeongsan, who has climbed to the position of Daesang, be able to survive while handing over things to other objects like a regular junk dealer?
‘It must be difficult.’
Jin Jun-sik raised his head with a dark look and looked around the yard.
For not only Moon Jae-shin, but also Jin Jun-sik, Myeongsan was the place where he devoted his life.
The fact that Myeongsan had to close its doors with one mistake was painful.
‘If I had paid a little more attention… If I didn’t trust the managers and took good care of them, this wouldn’t have happened… … .’
I thought it was all my fault.
I’ve been thinking all night, but I can’t find an answer.
“I will fully follow your brother’s will.”
“If this disappears, what are you going to do?”
“Shouldn’t I be looking for my own way, brother?”
I’ve never had the thought of having to settle down somewhere other than a famous mountain.
I only thought of going with Moon Jae-shin unconditionally until the end.
“The representative made an offer and went.”
“What suggestions… … .”
“Merger.”
“… No matter how large Nuri is, it cannot handle the size of the famous mountain.”
“It would be now. But the more you enjoy it, the bigger it will get.”
“To see the future… It is uncertain.”
“It’s not as clear as you said. And if you risk your life on that uncertainty, other people will think you are crazy.”
“… You have already made a decision.”
Until yesterday, like a person who had given up on life, he was immersed in emptiness.
But now, Moon Jae-shin’s eyes were revived.
“When I saw CEO Lee not giving up until the end, I thought of this.”
“… … .”
“The way I see people is that they are fine. Even in this situation, CEO Lee did not give up until the end.”
“ha… … .”
Jinyoung took a deep breath.
I noticed that Moon Jae-shin had already made a firm decision.
As someone who had seen him for a long time, I could predict what he was thinking just from his actions and eyes.
“In order to save this famous mountain that even I had given up on, CEO Lee came to find the best way.”
“Brother, even if we merge with Nuri, who will accept the goods from the famous mountain?”
“They said they had an offer from the Gangdong Works.”
“If it’s Gangdong Steelworks… Isn’t this a new steel mill that’s only been around for a year? Compared to Daehan Steel, it’s like a local grocery store.”
“It doesn’t matter if it’s small or big, as long as you give it a good price.”
Each steel mill had a different unit price.
There are also steel mills with a difference of up to 30 won.
Daehan Steel was the place where the unit price was lowered to the lowest by promoting the name of the company.
Instead, it had the advantage of being able to digest dirty things without too much trouble.
‘But that’s why it didn’t fit the famous mountain.’
Myeongsan, which is on the clean side of scrap metal, had a limited amount of profit compared to other companies.
Rather, if he had the qualifications for the Imperial Works, Myeongsan would have been able to maintain much more funds than it does now.
“Our lives are not worth giving up like this.”
“… Now, my brother and I have just passed our 40s. It is too early to give up like this.”
“Jun-sik, if I had to work under someone else, I think it would be better to work under CEO Lee.”
“It will be a vertical downgrade from the position of representative. Can you stand it?”
“You have to hold on. It can’t be broken like this.”
When he collapses, the family is shattered.
Of course, the children were all grown up, but he still had a family he had to take responsibility for.
“Let’s try it. Let’s put aside the name of Myeongsan for a while and do it again for Nuri and for the resurrected Mt. Junshik-ah.”
Moon Jae-shin reached out to Jin Jun-sik.
Jin Jun-sik pondered for a moment about his actions, then took a deep breath and held hands.
“I decided not for Nuri, but for my older brother.”
